Conference venues in London and other event spaces in the capital will see an immediate benefit from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the British Hospitality Association has said.

Speaking in response to concerns that the benefit of the 2012 Games will be limited and forecasts that see overseas visitors to London dropping sharply after the Games, the chief executive of the British Hospitality Association has argued that they will leave a long lasting legacy for the UK’s tourism and events industry.

“The Games will provide us the opportunity to showcase what British companies can achieve in providing top class facilities and leave a long-lasting legacy,” said Ufi Ibrahim.

“Competitors and visitors alike will leave knowing that the British welcome surpasses that of any other Olympic destination.”

Ms Ibrahim says that was well as the extra exposure that the the Olympics will give to many function venues and hospitality businesses, the investment in London’s infrastructure and public facilities would make it a more attractive prospect for overseas visitors than previously. Additionally, she said that the BHA felt the Games represented the kind of “meaningful partnerships between the private sector, other organisations and local and national government” that would benefit the UK in the long-term.

She also noted that the Games will bring many visitors to the UK who may otherwise never have visited the country.

“Opening up new visitor markets is precisely what the UK wants,” said Mrs Ibrahim. “This will be one of the most important parts of the Game’s legacy.”